Debris from A-bomb Dome to be sent to architect’s homeland by Hiroshima University
Nov. 6, 2015
by Eriko Shintani, Staff Writer
Hiroshima University will send four pieces of debris that are believed to be from the Atomic Bomb Dome to the Czech Republic. The A-bomb Dome, formerly known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, was designed by Jan Letzel, a Czech architect. The university showed the debris to the public on October 27 on the university’s Kasumi Campus.
According to the university, the four pieces are: a decorative part of granite eaves, a concrete support for a window frame, and two pieces of brick from the wall. The four pieces were found and recovered from the bed of the Motoyasu River, which flows past the dome, by Rebun Kayo, 37, a researcher at Hiroshima University, and others. When the pieces were shown to the residents of Funairi Mutsumien, a nursing home for A-bomb survivors located in Naka Ward, the survivors wrote their wishes for peace on message cards. Along with the debris, the message cards will be sent to the Czech Republic on October 30.
Mr. Kayo said, “It was not what Mr. Letzel hoped for, but his building has become a structure that conveys the horrors of the atomic bombing to the present day. I would like to show our gratitude to his homeland by sending these pieces of the building.” Mitsuo Ochi, the president of Hiroshima University, said, “I hope the Czech people will help convey the memories of the atomic bombing to the world so that people will not forget what happened.”
Mr. Ochi gave a list of the items that will be sent to the Czech Republic to Jan Hamacek, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, when he visited Hiroshima University this past August. The pieces of debris will be displayed at the Czech parliament building and other locations.
(Originally published on October 28, 2015）
Hiroshima University will send four pieces of debris that are believed to be from the Atomic Bomb Dome to the Czech Republic. The A-bomb Dome, formerly known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, was designed by Jan Letzel, a Czech architect. The university showed the debris to the public on October 27 on the university’s Kasumi Campus.
According to the university, the four pieces are: a decorative part of granite eaves, a concrete support for a window frame, and two pieces of brick from the wall. The four pieces were found and recovered from the bed of the Motoyasu River, which flows past the dome, by Rebun Kayo, 37, a researcher at Hiroshima University, and others. When the pieces were shown to the residents of Funairi Mutsumien, a nursing home for A-bomb survivors located in Naka Ward, the survivors wrote their wishes for peace on message cards. Along with the debris, the message cards will be sent to the Czech Republic on October 30.
Mr. Kayo said, “It was not what Mr. Letzel hoped for, but his building has become a structure that conveys the horrors of the atomic bombing to the present day. I would like to show our gratitude to his homeland by sending these pieces of the building.” Mitsuo Ochi, the president of Hiroshima University, said, “I hope the Czech people will help convey the memories of the atomic bombing to the world so that people will not forget what happened.”
Mr. Ochi gave a list of the items that will be sent to the Czech Republic to Jan Hamacek, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, when he visited Hiroshima University this past August. The pieces of debris will be displayed at the Czech parliament building and other locations.
(Originally published on October 28, 2015）
